This seven- to 10-day-old baby
pigeon was orphaned two days
after hatching. A few weeks
of nurturing left it healthy
enough to be released, says
Andrew Garn, author of The
New York Pigeon.
THIS TINY PIGEON is a
New York City native—
but his ancestors were
not. According to
the New York Pub-
lic Library, Europeans
brought pigeons to
U.S. shores, probably
in the 1600s, to raise
as food or as a hobby.
Some pigeons escaped
and made their way
to cities, where the
ledges of tall build-
ings were as hospitable
for nesting as the cliffs
of their wild homes.
Unlike bird species
with specialized diets,
pigeons can thrive
on almost anything,
including humans’
litter and leftovers.
Small wonder that the
world pigeon popu-
lation is estimated at
400 million, with more
than a million—and
perhaps as many as
seven million—of those
in New York City.
— PAT RICIA EDM ONDS
HOW CITIES
GOT PIGEONS
PHOTOGRAPH BY
ANDREW GARN
EMBARK | CAPTURED